1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of fishing equipment and accessories such as for sport fishing. More specifically the present invention relates to a fishing reel winding apparatus for removably interconnecting a winding handle of a fishing reel and the chuck of an electric drill so that operation of the drill rapidly rotates the reel to wind fishing line onto the reel. A conventional fishing reel includes a spool-retaining cradle structure having opposing panels interconnected at their periphery by a panel linking members, a spool axle on which a spool is fixedly mounted and which extends between and is rotatably mounted to the cradle panels and which passes through an axle port in one of the cradle panels to a spool handle hub on the outward side of the cradle panel, from which a spool winding handle radially extends.
The fishing reel winding apparatus includes a chuck gripping stem for insertion into and engagement by a drill chuck and a handle hub engagement assembly including a hub receiving cup having a cup side wall with a lateral handle passing notch and a cup bottom wall drivably connected directly or indirectly to the chuck gripping stem. The abutment of the sides of the handle passing notch with the spool winding handle imparts rotational motion to the spool winding handle when the apparatus is rotated by an electric drill. The hub receiving cup preferably includes a spool handle hub engaging mechanism for removably retaining a spool handle hub within the hub receiving cup until release of the apparatus from the fishing reel is desired.
A universal joint preferably is provided between the chuck gripping stem and the hub receiving cup for ease of apparatus use. The handle hub engaging mechanism preferably includes a series of spring-biased, L-shaped handle hub engaging arms which are pivotally secured to the cup side wall rim with arm pivot pins, with an arm first segment of the L-shape extending axially along the outer surface of the cup side wall from the cup rim, and an arm second segment extending over the cup rim. An engaging arm lock preferably is provided including a locking ring having three equally spaced arm receiving notches in the ring outer periphery. The locking ring is rotatably mounted around the cup neck segment and retained on the cup neck segment by outward ring retaining protrusion. Rotation of the locking ring relative to the cup neck segment aligns the arm receiving notches with all three arm first segments simultaneously to permit pivoting of all of the engaging arms to release a spool handle hub, and further rotation of the locking ring relative to the cup neck segment takes all of the arm receiving notches out of alignment with the first arm segments so that the ring periphery blocks pivoting of the engaging arms to release a spool handle hub and the apparatus remains securely operationally affixed to the spool handle hub during use. The ring outer periphery between the arm receiving notches preferably is knurled for ease of gripping and turning with user fingers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The winding of fishing reels to gather released line is the time consuming and tedious part of recreational fishing. This is particularly so in competitive sport fishing where the spools on the reels are often quite large and release great lengths of fishing line.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a fishing reel winding apparatus which can engage existing fishing reels and provide powered winding of the spool for fast and effortless gathering of released line.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a fishing reel winding apparatus which provides powered winding by interconnecting the spool winding handle of a standard fishing reel with the chuck of an electric drill.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a fishing reel winding apparatus which is compact to easily fit into any fishing box, as well as into the hip pocket a sportsman.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a fishing reel winding apparatus which is easy to use, sturdy, reliable and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.